Day 86 & 87
March 28 & 29, 2016
Monday & Tues
Day 86 3/28/16 Monday
We left before daylight Mon. morning to catch a bridge opening. We put in a bouncy windy day and anchored at Church Cr. south of Charleston, SC. The wind and current gave us a bouncy evening but by bed time it had settled down and was quite calm. It was a chilly night, first we have had in some time. The next 2 nights promise to be the same.
Day 87 3/29/16 Tuesday
We had a relatively easy day. There was a little congestion north of Charleston with some jet skis that had small children on them that basically parked in the water in front of us. We traveled over 60 miles so it was a long day. I napped in the morning and Lee napped in the afternoon. It was sunny but cool again. Tomorrow Stricklands will be home in Socastee and day after tomorrow we will be home in Little River. Yea can't wait.
Voyages of Sea Turtle
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Beaufort, SC Hiding from weather
Day 84, 85 & 86
March 25, 26 & 27, 2016
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Downtown Marina, Beaufort, SC
Day 84 3/25/16 Fri
We arrived at the Beaufort, SC marina under threatening skies and tied up to a face dock. We walked a few blocks to a restaurant in town and ate dinner. We grabbed the free courtesy car and went to a grocery store. The part of town we walked through was really nice. There were art stores, jewelry stores and other nice things, not the typical tourist junk places. Lee found a barber shop and got a much needed hair cut while I got a thing or two for the grandchild to be and Stricklands got ice cream. Oh must not forget the gals beat the guys at cards tonight.
Day 85 3/26/16 Saturday
It was another day at the marina. Still looking gloomy but not a lot of rain really. We took the car again and went to West Marine and the liquor store. We came back to town and ate at the ice cream place that has 10 or 12 specialty hot dogs. Even Lee who is not a hot dog fan thought they were good. Mine was Southern Nights and had honey mustard and fried onion rings crushed on top. Yum
And of course we got ice cream too. We let the guys win tonight since it hurts Mitch so bad to lose.
Day 86 3/27/16 Sunday
Happy Easter. The bunny did not leave any candy. It also happened to be my birthday. It started raining in the night and poured all day long. We did not leave the boat until 6:30 when we went to Journey to play cards. I had an upset stomach so we cut the game short and went back to Sea Turtle. In the afternoon I called our good friends Jane and Roger Bonner in Little River to wish them a happy Easter and talk to them and their company. Bonners collect stray people for holidays so nobody sits home alone. We would have been there too if we had not been on our cruise. The whole crew sang Happy Birthday over the phone. Our older son called and prodded our younger son to do the same, to say happy birthday too, no singing.
We plan to leave before 7am to get thru a bridge that stays shut 7-9 for morning rush hour traffic. We should have a sunny day even if it does start too early. It should be about a 48 mile trip tomorrow. Looks like we will be home on Thurs.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Killkenny, GA and Hilton Head, SC
Day 82 & day 83
Wed & Thur
March 23 & 24, 2016
Day 82 3/23/16
We left Frederica River just at dawn. It was beautiful. The moon was full and still up and the sun was rising out of the water too.
We pushed hard all day and made it to the marina at Killkenny, GA.
It was about the least excuse for a marina I ever saw. There were no cleats, just 1X6 boards stuck up to tie around. We ate at a little restaurant near the marina. The food was not bad so they get a plus for that. What was bad was the no see ums. They were thick. It was about the worst we have seen. Do not think I will be docking there again.
After dinner we played cards til 11:30. Time just got away from us. Martha and I won. We were behind until the last hand or two but our last hand was a good one. Nice to win once and a while.
Day 83 3/24/16
We left Killkenny and headed north at 7:30. It was a foggy start but soon cleared up. Hell Gate was a piece of cake so Lee tells me. I slept while he went thru it. Much ado about nothing. It was a sunny day with variable winds. We sailed a bit in one of the larger sounds. The no see ums from last night stayed with us all day, scores of them were dead in the cockpit, but live ones were around all day. We passed into SC today, so we feel we are on the down hill drag now. We pulled off the waterway at Hilton Head and dropped anchor around 5:30. We immediately shut things up so the bugs could not get to us. We may have 15kt winds tonight so we shall see how restful our night is.
Wed & Thur
March 23 & 24, 2016
Day 82 3/23/16
We left Frederica River just at dawn. It was beautiful. The moon was full and still up and the sun was rising out of the water too.
We pushed hard all day and made it to the marina at Killkenny, GA.
It was about the least excuse for a marina I ever saw. There were no cleats, just 1X6 boards stuck up to tie around. We ate at a little restaurant near the marina. The food was not bad so they get a plus for that. What was bad was the no see ums. They were thick. It was about the worst we have seen. Do not think I will be docking there again.
After dinner we played cards til 11:30. Time just got away from us. Martha and I won. We were behind until the last hand or two but our last hand was a good one. Nice to win once and a while.
Day 83 3/24/16
We left Killkenny and headed north at 7:30. It was a foggy start but soon cleared up. Hell Gate was a piece of cake so Lee tells me. I slept while he went thru it. Much ado about nothing. It was a sunny day with variable winds. We sailed a bit in one of the larger sounds. The no see ums from last night stayed with us all day, scores of them were dead in the cockpit, but live ones were around all day. We passed into SC today, so we feel we are on the down hill drag now. We pulled off the waterway at Hilton Head and dropped anchor around 5:30. We immediately shut things up so the bugs could not get to us. We may have 15kt winds tonight so we shall see how restful our night is.
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
St Augustine to FT George to Fernanda BeachFL to Frederica River, GA (Sunday,Monday,Tuesday)
Day 79 & 80 & 81
Sunday, Mon. & Tues
March 20, 21, & 22, 2016
Day 79 Sunday 3/20/16
We left St. Augustine and went to Ft George, FL. Ft George is narrow and the tide and wind are frequently in opposition to each other. We moved from one shore to a marker during the night. Missing each by a narrow margin. Our electronics said we moved 1.4 kt miles while at anchor so you can see we shifted all night. It was quite windy too. I have been at this anchorage before and never liked it, still don't.
Day 80 Monday 3/21/16
We left Ft George and went to Fernandina Beach picked up a mooring ball and settled in for the night. We filled up with fuel and water in the morning and headed north again. Also picked up a 12 pk of coke. I was out, a desperate situation.
Day 81 Tuesday 3/22/16
We left Fernandina and crossed into GA first thing in the morning. The wind was very light but the water was not very deep. As we passed Jekyll Is. we were in water that should have put us aground. It is very nerve racking to be seeing depths the same as your draft. We managed to get through with out bumping by some miracle.
We are anchored in Frederica River just off the ICW.
Sunday, Mon. & Tues
March 20, 21, & 22, 2016
Day 79 Sunday 3/20/16
We left St. Augustine and went to Ft George, FL. Ft George is narrow and the tide and wind are frequently in opposition to each other. We moved from one shore to a marker during the night. Missing each by a narrow margin. Our electronics said we moved 1.4 kt miles while at anchor so you can see we shifted all night. It was quite windy too. I have been at this anchorage before and never liked it, still don't.
Day 80 Monday 3/21/16
We left Ft George and went to Fernandina Beach picked up a mooring ball and settled in for the night. We filled up with fuel and water in the morning and headed north again. Also picked up a 12 pk of coke. I was out, a desperate situation.
Day 81 Tuesday 3/22/16
We left Fernandina and crossed into GA first thing in the morning. The wind was very light but the water was not very deep. As we passed Jekyll Is. we were in water that should have put us aground. It is very nerve racking to be seeing depths the same as your draft. We managed to get through with out bumping by some miracle.
We are anchored in Frederica River just off the ICW.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Titusville to Daytona to St. Augustine
Day 76 & 77 & 78 & 79
March 16, 17, 18, 19, 2016
Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat,
Day 76
Titusville to Daytona Beach
March 16, Wed.
Dinghy into shore to Jacks Restaurant. Had good food and a drink.
Uneventful travel and quiet night.
Day 77
Daytona Beach to St Augustine.
March 17, Thur
Grabbed mooring on farthest away ball. Lee did not feel well and napped a lot of the afternoon. A pushy sail boat almost ran over me and never hailed to pass. As we approached Bridge of Lions rain started and it thundered and lightninged. Water taxi brought paperwork to be signed.
Day 78
St Augustine
March 18, Fri
We took the taxi to shore expecting to see Stricklands. We thought they took the first of 2 trips to shore at noon. We waited around the shower house for half an hour and never saw them. Finally we called to see where they were and they had never been picked up. Lee was starting to feel too bad to stay on shore so we went to a restaurant we had been to before and ordered coconut soup. Sounds weird but really good. Lee got balaclava to have for breakfast tomorrow, then left it on the taxi but the the taxi driver brought it back to us.
Day 79
St Augustine
March 19, Sat
We went to shore for a charity fund raiser event. There was a low country boil and burgers, silent auction and music. We also had some ice cream. Martha and I bought souvenir bracelets. After we ate we went back to Journey and played cards and other games and Mitch brought us back around 6:30 to Sea Turtle. Plan is tomorrow to head north again. Shooting for being home in a little over a week.
March 16, 17, 18, 19, 2016
Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat,
Day 76
Titusville to Daytona Beach
March 16, Wed.
Dinghy into shore to Jacks Restaurant. Had good food and a drink.
Uneventful travel and quiet night.
Day 77
Daytona Beach to St Augustine.
March 17, Thur
Grabbed mooring on farthest away ball. Lee did not feel well and napped a lot of the afternoon. A pushy sail boat almost ran over me and never hailed to pass. As we approached Bridge of Lions rain started and it thundered and lightninged. Water taxi brought paperwork to be signed.
Day 78
St Augustine
March 18, Fri
We took the taxi to shore expecting to see Stricklands. We thought they took the first of 2 trips to shore at noon. We waited around the shower house for half an hour and never saw them. Finally we called to see where they were and they had never been picked up. Lee was starting to feel too bad to stay on shore so we went to a restaurant we had been to before and ordered coconut soup. Sounds weird but really good. Lee got balaclava to have for breakfast tomorrow, then left it on the taxi but the the taxi driver brought it back to us.
Day 79
St Augustine
March 19, Sat
We went to shore for a charity fund raiser event. There was a low country boil and burgers, silent auction and music. We also had some ice cream. Martha and I bought souvenir bracelets. After we ate we went back to Journey and played cards and other games and Mitch brought us back around 6:30 to Sea Turtle. Plan is tomorrow to head north again. Shooting for being home in a little over a week.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Palm Shores and Titusville
Day 74 & Day 75
March 14 & 15, 2016
Monday and Tues
Day 74 3/14/16
We left Vero Beach Marina early got water and diesel and dumping trash. We had a sunny warm uneventful days travel. We were able to put sails up part of the day. We anchored of Palm Shores and had a restful night.
Day 75 3/15/16
We headed out about 9 and anchored at Titusville around 2:30. We had our sails up most of the day. We got in a few places with little room to maneuver under sail. We anchored and almost immediately saw manatees near the boat. They stayed around all afternoon and near dusk one came up to the bow and looked us over. We were out on the bow looking it over too. It was within 5 feet of us for several minutes and in sight for several hours. They have such human looking eyes.
It started out cloudy but cleared up and has been a really warm sunny day. May be an uncomfortable hot night. The no-see-ums came out at dusk followed by a few mosquitoes. The bane of my existence when out doors is how much the bugs that bite like me.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Last Days in Vero
Day 72 & 73
March 12 & 13, 2016
Sat. & Sun
Moored at Vero Beach, FL
Day 72 3/12/16 Sat
We got up early and went to the dinghy dock to catch the bus to the beach to go to the Saturday Farmer Market. When we got to the bus door the driver said not run to the beach today. The road was closed for a St Pat's Day parade.
We decided to walk to the Riverside Restaurant to get brunch. While we were there a fishing charter came in and started cleaning its customers fish at the guest dock right beside the window we were sitting at. A dozen pelicans came to catch the tails, skin, and heads the capt tossed in the water. A couple came right up to his feet and he kicked them off in the water. They fought for every scrap. It looked like a few were about to choke to death on the big heads.
After brunch Lee and I decided to go to the craft and arts show that was nearby. We heard it was a big event. Martha and Mitch passed and went back to their boat. There were over 200 vendors and thousands of beautiful things. I could have spent a fortune but bought one little item. We walked until my knees were ready to give out then came back to the boat.
We played cards after dinner and beat the guys again. Not sure Mitch can recover from the humiliation. LOL
Day 73
March 13, 2016
Sunday
Vero Beach
We planned to go to Target and Lowes by taking a couple of city buses to get a few things. The most important of which was cig lighter plug adapters to charge our phones and ipads. When we got to shore we found out the buses did not run on Sunday. Since we plan to leave bright and early Monday morning we really needed those adapters. We walked most of 3 miles to a tiny podunk grocery store and they had them for $15 a piece. (way more than normal) They had cords with them, which we did not need. We got some for us and Stricklands. While we did that Martha went to the craft and arts fair by herself. We dingyed her over to the restaurant guest dock and she walked from there. When we all returned to the boats Lee took Martha and I to the laundry and we did a final wash/dry before departing tomorrow. We expect to be on the hook for a while and not have access to laundry facilities.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Cruising =Working on your boat in exotic pace
Day 70
March 10, 2016
Thurs
Vero Beach, FL
Mitch stayed on the boat most of the day tinkering on his generator. Unfortunately it is not fixed. Lee took Martha and I to shore and we caught the bus to Publix and West Marine and the beauty shop. We hauled all we could carry back to the bus stop and brought it back to the boats. Stricklands got their dinghy motor back and have transportation to shore now. The husband of the chef who invited us to the cook out looked at Mitch's generator and found a faulty resister and hoped it was the problem. They ordered a new one and got it overnighted to the marina.
We dealt with a problem with an IRA I have. Tough to do when you have no business stuff on board, no account numbers, statements or anything. Think we may be getting close to straightening it out.
We played cards and Martha and I had the guys on the ropes but lost in the last hand. Eventually we will win.
Day 71
March 11, 2016
Friday
Vero Beach,FL
Today was a continuation of yesterday. We went to the marina office to run off some forms I needed to return to the broker on the IRA. Then Lee started trying to replace the joker valve on the head. This turned out to be much more of a chore than it should have been.
The husband of the chef came and helped Mitch most of the day but still no working generator. He has about given up. Mitch also put cigarette lighter plugs in his boat so he can charge the cell phones and tablet off the battery.
We took the bus to town to get a nice dinner out at TooJays.
Last but not least the ladies beat the guys at cards, FINALLY.
March 10, 2016
Thurs
Vero Beach, FL
Mitch stayed on the boat most of the day tinkering on his generator. Unfortunately it is not fixed. Lee took Martha and I to shore and we caught the bus to Publix and West Marine and the beauty shop. We hauled all we could carry back to the bus stop and brought it back to the boats. Stricklands got their dinghy motor back and have transportation to shore now. The husband of the chef who invited us to the cook out looked at Mitch's generator and found a faulty resister and hoped it was the problem. They ordered a new one and got it overnighted to the marina.
We dealt with a problem with an IRA I have. Tough to do when you have no business stuff on board, no account numbers, statements or anything. Think we may be getting close to straightening it out.
We played cards and Martha and I had the guys on the ropes but lost in the last hand. Eventually we will win.
Day 71
March 11, 2016
Friday
Vero Beach,FL
Today was a continuation of yesterday. We went to the marina office to run off some forms I needed to return to the broker on the IRA. Then Lee started trying to replace the joker valve on the head. This turned out to be much more of a chore than it should have been.
The husband of the chef came and helped Mitch most of the day but still no working generator. He has about given up. Mitch also put cigarette lighter plugs in his boat so he can charge the cell phones and tablet off the battery.
We took the bus to town to get a nice dinner out at TooJays.
Last but not least the ladies beat the guys at cards, FINALLY.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
You Win Some You Lose Some
Day 69
March 9, 2016
Wed.
Vero Beach FL
Mitch's generator has quit charging his battery and he and Lee opened up the floor and stared at the thing. Not sure either one of them knew what they were doing but it did not get fixed in any event.
We got on the free town bus and sort of figured out how to get places on it. We were attempting to go to the city power plant where the Vero Beach app said you could see manatees. We went through 2 buses and walked a little to the spot. The signs said Manatee Parking here. But we did not see anything and signs said No Trespassing. A woman came by on a bike who looked like she might be a local and I asked her about the contradicting signs. She said that the power plant had closed 3 years ago and that it no longer put out warm water that attracted manatees and they quit coming in March unless it was a real cold spell. Looks like the Vero Beach app they tout could have deleted the power plant viewing spot in 3 yrs. We got back on the bus and came back to the marina.
By the time we got back to the marina it was time to go to a cook out we were invited to. The chef from Riverside Restaurant invited us to come. There were about 15 people, some locals, some passing through like us. Mitch was able to find a couple of people to talk his generator problem over with and they drew some conclusions. One of the guys, Dick is coming over tomorrow to look at it. Fellow boaters and cruisers are almost always friendly and very helpful. We had a nice time at the cookout, yummy food and a couple of cute dogs. One Gracie that stole my heart.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Vero Beach FL
Day 67 & 68
March 7 & 8, 2016
Mon & Tues
Vero Beach FL
Day 67 3/7/16
We left Jensen Beach anchorage after a windy night and headed to the north. We picked Vero Beach because it let us get a mooring ball cheaply and have access to all the perks of a marina. We knew it was protected because we stopped there last winter. We were able to sail part of the day and were really moving along with 15kt winds but we came to a bridge that had an inspection crew under it on scaffolding rigging and the bridge tinder made us take our sail in. We had to wait for the inspection team to get off which cost us all the time we gained by our speedy sailing up to that point.
We got to Vero Beach City Marina and rafted up on one mooring ball with Journey. That was much easier than I remembered from last year. The guys went in to pay and get maps and bus schedules and Martha and I stayed on the boats. Tomorrow we will go ashore too and get the lay of the land.
Day 68 3/8/16
Moored in Vero Beach. We gathered clothes and went to shore to do laundry. The dinghy dock is nice and not to far from the laundry. While the clothes washed and dried I loafed in the lounge and watched TV and Martha raided the swap library. She walked away with a bunch of good books that looked new. I landed a Chesapeake Waterway Guide 2008.
While we were there Martha checked out the business cards on the bulletin board and found a motor mechanic and called him. She explained their dinghy outboard issue and he said he could get to it tomorrow. Every other inquiry had gotten 2 weeks maybe to get to it. She called Mitch and he talked with the man and arranged to have the outboard picked up this afternoon at the marina office. The guys had caught the bus to the beach and were exploring for marine stores, hardware stores, grocery stores, and restaurants.
When the guys got back we were just finishing laundry. We took our laundry to the dinghy dock and waited. And waited. And waited. After an hour and a half they finally came and picked us and the laundry up. While we were waiting they were trying to get the motor off. The key would not open the lock and eventually they cut the lock to get the motor off. Then Mitch waited for the mechanic because he wanted to talk face to face with him before he left with the motor.
Mitch stayed on shore and Lee took Martha and me to the boats with the laundry. Then we returned to shore to meet Mitch and take a bus to the beach to eat. While we were waiting on the bus Mitch struck up a conversation with a woman also waiting. She happen to cook at the Riverside Restaurant which was within walking distance so we all decided to walk there and skip the bus. She recommended the fish and chips so that is what everyone except me.
Full and satisfied, we towed Mitch in his dinghy back to the boats. Unfortunately Lee's method of towing left Mitch fishtailing (in a hard shell dinghy) bouncing off large power boats in slips. After he finally got away from anything he could hit Lee got us all back to our boats. Mitch was up for a card game but Lee and I were beat and Martha's back and mine were none to happy so we declined. We hit the hay early. I was too tired to sleep, strange as that sounds but I did rest.
March 7 & 8, 2016
Mon & Tues
Vero Beach FL
Day 67 3/7/16
We left Jensen Beach anchorage after a windy night and headed to the north. We picked Vero Beach because it let us get a mooring ball cheaply and have access to all the perks of a marina. We knew it was protected because we stopped there last winter. We were able to sail part of the day and were really moving along with 15kt winds but we came to a bridge that had an inspection crew under it on scaffolding rigging and the bridge tinder made us take our sail in. We had to wait for the inspection team to get off which cost us all the time we gained by our speedy sailing up to that point.
We got to Vero Beach City Marina and rafted up on one mooring ball with Journey. That was much easier than I remembered from last year. The guys went in to pay and get maps and bus schedules and Martha and I stayed on the boats. Tomorrow we will go ashore too and get the lay of the land.
Day 68 3/8/16
Moored in Vero Beach. We gathered clothes and went to shore to do laundry. The dinghy dock is nice and not to far from the laundry. While the clothes washed and dried I loafed in the lounge and watched TV and Martha raided the swap library. She walked away with a bunch of good books that looked new. I landed a Chesapeake Waterway Guide 2008.
While we were there Martha checked out the business cards on the bulletin board and found a motor mechanic and called him. She explained their dinghy outboard issue and he said he could get to it tomorrow. Every other inquiry had gotten 2 weeks maybe to get to it. She called Mitch and he talked with the man and arranged to have the outboard picked up this afternoon at the marina office. The guys had caught the bus to the beach and were exploring for marine stores, hardware stores, grocery stores, and restaurants.
When the guys got back we were just finishing laundry. We took our laundry to the dinghy dock and waited. And waited. And waited. After an hour and a half they finally came and picked us and the laundry up. While we were waiting they were trying to get the motor off. The key would not open the lock and eventually they cut the lock to get the motor off. Then Mitch waited for the mechanic because he wanted to talk face to face with him before he left with the motor.
Mitch stayed on shore and Lee took Martha and me to the boats with the laundry. Then we returned to shore to meet Mitch and take a bus to the beach to eat. While we were waiting on the bus Mitch struck up a conversation with a woman also waiting. She happen to cook at the Riverside Restaurant which was within walking distance so we all decided to walk there and skip the bus. She recommended the fish and chips so that is what everyone except me.
Full and satisfied, we towed Mitch in his dinghy back to the boats. Unfortunately Lee's method of towing left Mitch fishtailing (in a hard shell dinghy) bouncing off large power boats in slips. After he finally got away from anything he could hit Lee got us all back to our boats. Mitch was up for a card game but Lee and I were beat and Martha's back and mine were none to happy so we declined. We hit the hay early. I was too tired to sleep, strange as that sounds but I did rest.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Jensen Beach FL
Day 65 & 66
March 5 & 6, 2016
Sat and Sunday
at anchor Jensen Beach, FL
Day 65 3/5/16 Sat
We were up in the wee hours of the morning and headed north from West Palm Beach by 7. We were not sure where we would end the day but had a few options for anchoring. The waterway on a weekend is crazy. We were tossed like a cork by passing power boats and the wind too. It was a tiring and bouncy day. At 3:30 after rejecting 2 anchorages we finally settled on one at Jensen Beach. We went aground, barely, while hunting the perfect place to drop anchor. Then another boat came in and anchored uncomfortably close to us. We are watching it. After last night we do not want to play bumper boats again.
Oh, I wrote yesterdays log before the middle of the night fiasco. We anchored last night and when wind or tide shifted we came way too close to a boat I had said could be a problem if things shifted at the time we anchored. But Lee did not listen. After dark we did get too close and pulled anchor and moved. We anchored among power and sail boats at reasonable distances and went back to bed. Lee yells in the middle of the night, get up!! (2am) and we are against the side of one of the big power boats. He tells me to pull anchor and I do and he starts backing up. Our anchor is under the other boat so apparently their anchor drug and they came over to us. In the process of getting away from them, Lee backed up into 2 large power boats that were rafted together. Somehow our dinghy or something on our stern was tangled in a rope on their boat. He was out fending off our bow sprit from their side and I was trying to steer us forward and away from the boats. Finally the rope broke loose. How all 3 boat loads of people slept through all this I do not understand but we never heard or saw anyone. We then moved way away from most other boats and dropped anchor again. By this time we were both so hopped up on adrenaline that nobody was sleeping. Lee stayed in the cockpit on anchor watch until 4 and I gave up trying to sleep and came and joined him. Although I wanted to go to the Manatee Discovery place we had both had it with the non-anchorage anchorage. Thus the early morning departure Sat.
Day 66 3/6/16
Anchored at Jensen Beach temps low 70s bright and sunny but wind in high teens to 20 all day. We decided to stay put and relax and avoid the weekend madness. Tomorrow Mitch is going to check with the marina insight and see if they can check out his dinghy motor. With no dinghy you are trapped on your boat. There are some good things around here if we went to shore I think. Whether we stay or go tomorrow depends on what Mitch does, either way it looks like we are in for a week of winds in the high teens and 20s. But at least it looks like sun so temps in the day will be 70s. Not much interesting to report today, but after Fri night/Sat morning I am good with dull.
March 5 & 6, 2016
Sat and Sunday
at anchor Jensen Beach, FL
Day 65 3/5/16 Sat
We were up in the wee hours of the morning and headed north from West Palm Beach by 7. We were not sure where we would end the day but had a few options for anchoring. The waterway on a weekend is crazy. We were tossed like a cork by passing power boats and the wind too. It was a tiring and bouncy day. At 3:30 after rejecting 2 anchorages we finally settled on one at Jensen Beach. We went aground, barely, while hunting the perfect place to drop anchor. Then another boat came in and anchored uncomfortably close to us. We are watching it. After last night we do not want to play bumper boats again.
Oh, I wrote yesterdays log before the middle of the night fiasco. We anchored last night and when wind or tide shifted we came way too close to a boat I had said could be a problem if things shifted at the time we anchored. But Lee did not listen. After dark we did get too close and pulled anchor and moved. We anchored among power and sail boats at reasonable distances and went back to bed. Lee yells in the middle of the night, get up!! (2am) and we are against the side of one of the big power boats. He tells me to pull anchor and I do and he starts backing up. Our anchor is under the other boat so apparently their anchor drug and they came over to us. In the process of getting away from them, Lee backed up into 2 large power boats that were rafted together. Somehow our dinghy or something on our stern was tangled in a rope on their boat. He was out fending off our bow sprit from their side and I was trying to steer us forward and away from the boats. Finally the rope broke loose. How all 3 boat loads of people slept through all this I do not understand but we never heard or saw anyone. We then moved way away from most other boats and dropped anchor again. By this time we were both so hopped up on adrenaline that nobody was sleeping. Lee stayed in the cockpit on anchor watch until 4 and I gave up trying to sleep and came and joined him. Although I wanted to go to the Manatee Discovery place we had both had it with the non-anchorage anchorage. Thus the early morning departure Sat.
Day 66 3/6/16
Anchored at Jensen Beach temps low 70s bright and sunny but wind in high teens to 20 all day. We decided to stay put and relax and avoid the weekend madness. Tomorrow Mitch is going to check with the marina insight and see if they can check out his dinghy motor. With no dinghy you are trapped on your boat. There are some good things around here if we went to shore I think. Whether we stay or go tomorrow depends on what Mitch does, either way it looks like we are in for a week of winds in the high teens and 20s. But at least it looks like sun so temps in the day will be 70s. Not much interesting to report today, but after Fri night/Sat morning I am good with dull.
Friday, March 4, 2016
West Palm Again
Day 63 & 64
March 3 & 4, 2016
Thurs and Friday
Miami to West Palm
Day 63 3/3/16
Today began early with a trip to the dock to top off our water. We then headed out of Biscayne Bay into the Atlantic Ocean. We spent the day on comfortable seas in sunny warmth coming back inside at Ft. Lauderdale where we anchored for the night at Sunrise Bay. We could see all the skyscrapers on shore a lot of the day which was awesome. You don't get the massiveness of the development when you are in it. The water off shore was such a deep aqua it was beautiful and it was nice not to be dodging other boat and timing bridges. Stricklands stayed inside where our mast would not let us be.
Day 64 3/4/16
We left at the crack of daylight because we knew it would be a long day and we would be dealing with bridges all day. We went through 20 bridges today. Most were timed, a few were on demand. It was looking like rain in the afternoon but it never came. Once we were anchored in West Palm the wind picked up to 20kts. The city anchorage and dinghy dock area was totally empty. This is not normal. Several boats were anchored across the ICW from the city anchorage. We went over there and dropped anchor then looked at Active Capt to see if it said anything about what was up with the city anchorage. Could not find any info so I called the water front West Palm tourist info center. They did not have a clue why no boats were anchored where normally 10 to 20 are. We still do not know what is going on. Maybe tomorrow we will find out.
Stricklands were getting a vibration in there motor and stopped to have a diver check their propeller and shaft. It was a coconut husk wrapped around the propeller. Took a few hours out of their day but good news. Could have been worse. They are faster than us so they will catch up to us by dark so we will be together again.
Tomorrow I want to go to the new Manatee Discovery center in northern West Palm then I am ready to move on unless we get a bad weather day.
March 3 & 4, 2016
Thurs and Friday
Miami to West Palm
Day 63 3/3/16
Today began early with a trip to the dock to top off our water. We then headed out of Biscayne Bay into the Atlantic Ocean. We spent the day on comfortable seas in sunny warmth coming back inside at Ft. Lauderdale where we anchored for the night at Sunrise Bay. We could see all the skyscrapers on shore a lot of the day which was awesome. You don't get the massiveness of the development when you are in it. The water off shore was such a deep aqua it was beautiful and it was nice not to be dodging other boat and timing bridges. Stricklands stayed inside where our mast would not let us be.
Day 64 3/4/16
We left at the crack of daylight because we knew it would be a long day and we would be dealing with bridges all day. We went through 20 bridges today. Most were timed, a few were on demand. It was looking like rain in the afternoon but it never came. Once we were anchored in West Palm the wind picked up to 20kts. The city anchorage and dinghy dock area was totally empty. This is not normal. Several boats were anchored across the ICW from the city anchorage. We went over there and dropped anchor then looked at Active Capt to see if it said anything about what was up with the city anchorage. Could not find any info so I called the water front West Palm tourist info center. They did not have a clue why no boats were anchored where normally 10 to 20 are. We still do not know what is going on. Maybe tomorrow we will find out.
Stricklands were getting a vibration in there motor and stopped to have a diver check their propeller and shaft. It was a coconut husk wrapped around the propeller. Took a few hours out of their day but good news. Could have been worse. They are faster than us so they will catch up to us by dark so we will be together again.
Tomorrow I want to go to the new Manatee Discovery center in northern West Palm then I am ready to move on unless we get a bad weather day.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Coconut Grove
Day 60 & 61
March 1 & 2, 2016
Tues and Wed
Miami, FL
Day 60 3/1/16
We got up and met Enterprise to get a rental car. We did not need it to drive to West Marine because it was literally beside the car rental place. We walked over got a new pump for the shower drain and a waterway guide for southern FL, the Keys and the western side of FL. We went to breakfast, at 11, so I got hot dog but everyone else ate breakfast food. Then we drove to Walmart, Lee was hoping they would have an optical dept that could adjust his new gasses. They didn't. Then to a nearby store, Fresh Market. It is a lot like Trader Joes. Got good stuff. Stricklands got steaks to grill and I got salad. Lee was not hungry. We got other miscellaneous stuff too. Oddly that took almost all day. The last water taxi leaves at 5 so got to head back to the boat by 5
Lee tried installing the new shower drain pump but it did not fix the problem. He finally concluded he needed a new switch not a pump. When we return the car in the morning he can pick up a switch. We listened to election results as much as we dared. We are eating up data like it was candy. Our guy won a few but is not in the lead. But I still hold out hope, good guys can finish first occasionally.
Day 61 3/2/16
We caught the 8 am water taxi to shore. We all ate at the Fresh Market except Mitch. Lee had a sweet roll, I had mini scones, and Martha had a strawberry pillow. It was enormous and covered with powdered sugar and good creamy stuff. Martha could hardly attack it. It dumped sugar all over her, left her with a whip cream mustache and we all enjoyed watching her try to eat it. Even other diners were laughing. While the guys returned the car to enterprise Martha and I did laundry. About the time we finished the laundry the guys were back. Lee got a new lucci light and a new switch. We took our stuff back to the taxi dock and went back to our boats. I napped and Lee fixed the shower drain.
When 2 rolled around we went to shore again and walked a block or two to the edge of Coco Walk and ate at a place called the Book Store. We missed the 4 oclock taxi by a hair so had to wait til 5 to go back to the boat. We plan to get water and head north to do a day of off shore to Ft Lauderdale tomorrow. Check Lee's facebook for a pic of Martha and the Monster Strawberry Pillow.
March 1 & 2, 2016
Tues and Wed
Miami, FL
Day 60 3/1/16
We got up and met Enterprise to get a rental car. We did not need it to drive to West Marine because it was literally beside the car rental place. We walked over got a new pump for the shower drain and a waterway guide for southern FL, the Keys and the western side of FL. We went to breakfast, at 11, so I got hot dog but everyone else ate breakfast food. Then we drove to Walmart, Lee was hoping they would have an optical dept that could adjust his new gasses. They didn't. Then to a nearby store, Fresh Market. It is a lot like Trader Joes. Got good stuff. Stricklands got steaks to grill and I got salad. Lee was not hungry. We got other miscellaneous stuff too. Oddly that took almost all day. The last water taxi leaves at 5 so got to head back to the boat by 5
Lee tried installing the new shower drain pump but it did not fix the problem. He finally concluded he needed a new switch not a pump. When we return the car in the morning he can pick up a switch. We listened to election results as much as we dared. We are eating up data like it was candy. Our guy won a few but is not in the lead. But I still hold out hope, good guys can finish first occasionally.
Day 61 3/2/16
We caught the 8 am water taxi to shore. We all ate at the Fresh Market except Mitch. Lee had a sweet roll, I had mini scones, and Martha had a strawberry pillow. It was enormous and covered with powdered sugar and good creamy stuff. Martha could hardly attack it. It dumped sugar all over her, left her with a whip cream mustache and we all enjoyed watching her try to eat it. Even other diners were laughing. While the guys returned the car to enterprise Martha and I did laundry. About the time we finished the laundry the guys were back. Lee got a new lucci light and a new switch. We took our stuff back to the taxi dock and went back to our boats. I napped and Lee fixed the shower drain.
When 2 rolled around we went to shore again and walked a block or two to the edge of Coco Walk and ate at a place called the Book Store. We missed the 4 oclock taxi by a hair so had to wait til 5 to go back to the boat. We plan to get water and head north to do a day of off shore to Ft Lauderdale tomorrow. Check Lee's facebook for a pic of Martha and the Monster Strawberry Pillow.
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